


To Ashes He Will Be

by ClearAutumnVibes



Series: The Village of Eallu [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Bugs & Insects, Chopping up your family, Forest Spirits, Gen, I have no idea where I'm going but I'm done, Mainly Dryads, Nymphs & Dryads, Plant diseases, Somewhat Plant Horror, Technically tree spirits, They're different tree species, Unreliable Narrator, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:33:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23328565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClearAutumnVibes/pseuds/ClearAutumnVibes
Summary: The village of Eallu is struck by disease but that's not the worst of it as Uncle Holly's anger reaches its boiling point.
Relationships: Mother/father
Series: The Village of Eallu [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677652
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	To Ashes He Will Be

I’m not sure when it started.

A disease had hit our village and every day we had to collect the bodies and dry them. Elder Wood had even passed away, his formidable height and large branches bleached white. My father, the Oak tree, had us take measures to ensure that we aren’t infected. If we found a spore on us, we had to burn it off. If it was found too late, we joined the others in the compost for quarantine.

It happened so quickly, everyone avoided touching one another, even if the wind had passed us by. We all hoped that perhaps if the rain came, this disease will not hurt us but the rain made it perfect for molds and fungi to grow. After the rain showers, about ten of us reported finding a spore on them.

But that is not the point of this story.

The disease had hit my father and he too perished to it, leaving my uncle the Holly tree, in charge. He’s strict and stern, his face always twisted in an angry frown. Mother said he was just like that as a child too. Especially as our village became a simple place for passersby, humans spitting on the ground and dropping trash. My father would get mad and chase them out with his spear.

They often run or apologize, assuming him to be some sort of ranger that keeps watch of our village. It helps that the village is near a war heritage sight, so his armour is not out of place. I often go speaking to these humans, asking them questions about where they came from and so on. They often patted me on the head and answered my questions, giving me candies.

Uncle didn’t like it when I spoke to them. He told me that humans would end up killing me. Humans have cut down my cousin, Guava, and even sliced down Miss Orange, he told me. But some humans are nice. They pick up the litter of others and planted some saplings here to increase our population after the disease.

I’m don’t know what happened but one day I was drying up the last of the remains, that being the remaining wood of my father. The dried wood would then be used as mulch for us. Granny Acorn said it represents how despite being gone, he’ll still be with us, helping us grow bigger and stronger. To me, I think it’s a way of rebirth. How in the mulch, he will grow anew, either within us or in the form of the new saplings.

As I was drying it, uncle came in, his face was twisted even more. He called my name, shouting it with such anger. It scared me. He called my name once more, louder and angrier than before. His eyes have never held such a blaze like it did now. 

I’m not sure why, but he seemed almost…scared?

Uncle began running at me, his spear raised up and ready to stab me.

That’s when Mother showed up. Elegant as always, her petal hair flowing in the wind as she brandished her blade. The sword is familiar, a knight had once entrusted it to her to guard it and give it to a human of worth, I believe the name was Stormbringer. It certainly looks the part, with the hilt of the blade decorated with clouds and the sword resembling a lightning bolt.

Mother smiled at me and with that sword she used it on Uncle.

Uncle lifted up his spear and together they both perished.

I didn’t tell anyone in the village. I simply got the sword, kept it away, and began cutting away my last two family members.

I’ve done this plenty of times to my fellow villagers who died of the disease. The axe I held has tasted so much sap. Yet I find it different to when you are doing such actions to people you loved and knew.

First, my uncle, I went about chopping away the arms that once held me close. The sound of wood breaking filling the otherwise silent shed. Then I chopped his legs, the legs that were strong enough to run from hill to hill as he chased away the humans who littered. I chopped of his head, the face still twisted in anger. Then I chopped his body in half, revealing the rings that spoke of his age.

That’s when I saw it. His trunk showed pollution. Mold and insects squirming around, eating at sap and wood. Mother must have known about this and decided to kill uncle. The rotten smell of plant filled my lungs, causing me to cough. Uncle must have gone mad with pain and lashed out.

I shuddered, clutching my own torso. I can’t imagine having so many insects and mold filling my stomach, the pain of moving around at all. It’s a mercy that mother has killed him. One of the insects tried to get to me but I killed it.

Throwing a cloth over his chopped parts, I headed to the fire pit. I can’t dry him up lest the insects get to everyone else so it’s best to burn him and collect the ash later. As I set him on fire, I worked on chopping mother up.

Her head rolled to the ground as I chopped it off. I picked it up and set it back on the cloth. Her face still smiled at me. I cut off her arms and her legs. Then, hesitantly, I moved to cut her torso in half.

The insides held nothing like uncle’s torso. It is clean and filled with sap. When I reached to touch it, I found it rather sticky. At least mother is healthy unlike uncle.

The fire died down already, leaving the smoke that smelled of wood and grub in the air. I covered my mouth as I gathered the ashes and placed it in the mulch of the other treated dead. As for Mother, I left her to dry on the bench with the drying remains of father.

I’m already of age so I can take the mantle of leading the village.

Looking at uncle’s actions. I think he could have won against mother and killed me as well. But in the end, with him dying at the hands of mother, that could be his own twisted way of telling me he’ll do better in the next life.

Ah, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a butterfly. Smiling, I lifted up my hand for it to rest on.

“A human once told me that butterflies symbolizes rebirth.” I chuckle, “Hello uncle, you’re very eager to protect us aren’t you?”

The butterfly’s wings fluttered before eventually flying away.

Leaving me alone, with nothing but the peaceful outdoors, the drying bodies of my family and fellow villagers, and the shed I had used to chop them up behind me.

**Author's Note:**

> Lately I've been having some tree related dreams so I decided to write them down! There are some mild horror when dealing with the bodies but I suppose that would be because trees have a lot of potential for it. From insects burrowing, to diseases and fungi. The plant world is a gorgeous but tough place to live in for sure! I hope you enjoyed reading this, thank you so much if you've read to the bottom and have a nice day! :)


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